3/12 Ring of Honor TV Review: Battle Royal with the final two entrants meeting to earn an ROH TV Title shot, Tenille Dashwood (a/k/a Emma in WWE) vs. Stacy Shadows in a Women of Honor Title tournament match, Cody says Bullet Club is fine

Ring of Honor TV Taped February 10 in Atlanta, Georgia at Center Stage Aired in syndication over the weekend, Mondays on the FITE TV app

After the opening video, a group of wrestlers all piled into the ring. “The Best Friends” Chuckie T and Beretta held them off and hugged. The broadcast team of Ian Riccaboni and Colt Cabana checked in on commentary…

1. Battle Royal qualifier for an ROH TV Title shot. After the hug, Shane Taylor grabbed both men from behind and threw them over the top rope to eliminate them. The broadcast team noted that the last two competitors in the battle royal will earn an ROH TV Title shot. The match included Taylor, Best Friends, Flip Gordon, Caprce Coleman, Josh Woods, Coast 2 Coast, Will Ferrara, QT Marshall, and some local wrestlers.

The broadcast team noted that Rhett Titus was ineligible for the match because he’s held the tag titles before, so apparently the idea was that the entrants could not have held titles before. The final four were Coleman, Taylor, Gordon, and Marshall. Coleman and Taylor shook hands as the broadcast team recalled their history together in The Rebellion faction. Marshall indicated that he was willing to pay Taylor as they headed into a commercial break. [C]

Gordon performed a nice springboard spear on Coleman. Taylor clotheslined Gordon. Taylor held Gordon for Marshall. Gordon moved and Marshall hit Taylor, who then begged off. Taylor punched Marshall, who tumbled over the top rope to the floor. Coleman performed a nice RKO style move on Gordon and then shook hands with Taylor. Once Coleman turned to face Gordon, Taylor grabbed Coleman from behind and tossed him over the top rope.

Shane Taylor and Flip Gordon were the final two battle royal entrants.

Ring announcer Bobby Cruise announced that Taylor and Gordon would meet later in the show to determine which one of them would earn the ROH TV Title shot…

The Kingdom delivered a backstage promo. Matt Taven said the Bullet Club is almost dead, but the Kingdom still isn’t getting what they deserve because the company continues to put all their eggs in the Bullet Club basket. Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian showed up on the interview set. Daniels told Taven that opportunity is knocking. He said the internal conflict within Bullet Club gives them a chance to unite with SoCal Uncensored and take control of the numbers game… [C]

Powell’s POV: It was a unique opening in that they went right to the match, but this would have come off better if the broadcast team had a chance to set the stage. It was also a bit odd for the match to end with two men remaining. It wouldn’t have been so awkward if they had their match immediately to determine the winner, but by holding it off for the main event it made the segment come off even stranger. Meanwhile, the Daniels proposal to The Kingdom was logical. There was no commitment made by Taven, who sighed as if he was contemplating the offer.

An ad aired for HonorClub without offering any details about what the streaming service is…

The broadcast team spoke from their spot on the floor. They hyped a Women of Honor Title tournament match and then sent it backstage…

The Kingdom debated the offer made by Daniels. TK O’Ryan said he smelled a rat and he doesn’t trust SoCal Uncensored as far as he can throw them. Taven spoke about how there have been alliances in every war. Vinny Marseglia said he doesn’t care, he wants every member of Bullet Club to bring an umbrella because it will be raining blood next week…

Riccaboni set up a video package for a women’s match. Shadows said she’s the Midwest Slayer. She said she has her sights set on every single woman and will go through all of them to make history for the company. Tenille Dashwood (formerly Emma in WWE) said she is the final entrant in the WOH Title tournament. She said she’s wrestled for over half her life and she’s been overlooked for far too long. She said she chose WOH to prove she is the best women’s wrestler today. Dashwood noted that she beat Shadows before and beat her with a kick to the temple. Shadows said she wouldn’t hit her with that kick again…

2. Tenille Dashwood vs. Stacy Shadows in a Women of Honor Title tournament match. Deonna Purrazzo sat in on commentary for the match. The women shook hands. Shadows shoved Dashwood’s hand aside after shaking it. Dashwood controlled the bulk of the early offense, but Shadows came back with a spinebuster style move heading into a break. [C]

Shadows bodyslammed Dashwood and went for a Vader Bomb, but Dashwood rolled out of the way. Dashwood used a Tarantula hold and released it before the referee’s five count. A short time later, Dashwood went up top and performed a cross body block for a two count. Dashwood went for her Spotlight Kick, but Shadows blocked it and powered her onto her shoulders. Dashwood slipped away and shoved her through the ropes and into the post, then followed up with the Spotlight Kick for the win. After the match, the women shook hands…

Tenille Dashwood defeated Stacy Shadows to advance to the second round of the Women of Honor Title tournament.

Powell’s POV: A decent match by WOH tournament standards thus far. The outcome was never in doubt and they did a good job of spotlighting Dashwood’s finisher.

Cody joined the Young Bucks, Hangman Page, and Marty Scurll inside the Bullet Club locker room. He informed them of Daniels’ plan to unite SoCal Uncensored and The Kingdom. Matt Jackson assumed Cody was going to tell them Bullet Club was fine. Cody said it is and then asked if he was wrong. Cody said he’s tried of people making him out to be the bad guy. He said that what’s happened with him and Kenny Omega doesn’t have to affect his situation with them. He said they don’t have to be his best friend, but they should think of the money they made off of Bullet Club and Being The Elite. Cody recalled the Bullet Club 4 Life label and said they have to work together out there… [C]

Powell’s POV: Page seemed united with Cody, The Bucks were noncommittal, and Scurll did a beatbox to start and close the segment. I wish they had taken a moment to explain why the camera was present, but this was a good segment that let viewers know where things stand with the various faction members.

3. Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas vs. Eli Isom and Ryan Nova. Before the match, a Bruiser and Milonas promo aired. Bruiser did all the talking and said they are the biggest bouncers in the bar. He said they would climb the ladder and take the ROH Tag Titles. Isom and Nova offered handshakes and were slapped instead. Isom got the only real offense for his team, but it didn’t last long. In the end, Milonas superplexed Isom and then Bruiser hit him with a top rope splash and pinned him…

Beer City Bruiser and Brian Milonas defeated Eli Isom and Ryan Nova.

Riccaboni hyped the main event… [C]

Powell’s POV: A good showcase squash win for the big men. I like the Bruiser and Milonas pairing as they bring something different to the tag team division.

4. Flip Gordon vs. Shane Taylor for an ROH TV Title shot. Bully Ray sat in on commentary for the match. He said Taylor is trying to make a name for himself. He recalled Taylor giving him a shoulder bump. Bully said he would have done the same thing back when he was at the same stage in the business as Taylor. Gordon offered a handshake, but Taylor shoved him down. Gordon kipped up and struck Taylor.

Taylor performed a springboard move and Taylor caught him and slammed him down for a two count. Bully said he had no idea how Gordon kicked out of that. They showed the replay a couple times and it looked violent. Ray said Taylor has aggressiveness of Devon Dudley and the athleticism of Bam Bam Bigelow. Colt added that he has the right hand of a Mike Tyson.

Taylor worked over Gordon. Just when Gordon started to show some signs of life, Taylor put him back down with a headbutt and then followed up with a bodyslam and a leg drop for a two count heading into the final commercial break. [C] Taylor remained in offensive control coming out of the break and got a near fall. Meanwhile, Bully called Kenny Omega vs. Cody at Supercard of Honor “the biggest match of that (WrestleMania) weekend”.

Gordon performed a Bully Bomb for a two count. Bully said he was in shock that Taylor had the nuts to perform the move in front of him and even more shocked that Gordon kicked out. “Now I wanna see Flip win,” Bully said. Taylor stood over Gordon and taunted him. Gordon slapped him from the mat. Taylor splashed him for another two count.

Gordon came back with a few kicks that didn’t knock Taylor off his feet. Taylor caught him with a clothesline for a two count and then showed frustration over not being able to put him away. Taylor went for a second rope splash, but Gordon moved. Gordon performed a springboard corkscrew stunner and then went up top and hit a 450 splash for the win…

Flip Gordon defeated Shane Taylor to earn an ROH TV Title shot.

After the match, Scorpio Sky attacked Gordon from behind. The Young Bucks ran out and chased off Scorpio. Riccaboni questioned why the Bucks would concern themselves with Gordon. Cabana said they ran off a SoCal Uncensored member, but in doing so they came to the aid of their nemesis. Matt Jackson offered Gordon a handshake. The broadcast team recalled their “welcoming to Ring of Honor” before. Gordon left the ring instead of shaking hands with the Bucks, which didn’t sit well with the live crowd…

Cody stood on the interview set and asked someone off camera if they were coming. The person told him he didn’t think so. Cody said the Bucks, Page, and Scurll weren’t there, but he knows their parts. He said Nick would superkick the camera. He said Matt would say it’s time to start the show. Cody said Page would stand there looking muscle bound and handsome. He did an English accent while impersonating Scurll. Cody said they didn’t need to be there in order for him to tell everyone that Bullet Club is fine…

Powell’s POV: A good main event with Taylor looking dominant for most of the match before Gordon came back and got the win. Taylor was protected to some extent and looked good despite taking the loss. He looks like he’s still transforming his body and he continues to improve in the ring with each outing. Meanwhile, Gordon is the bright young star of the ROH roster. Overall, this was a nice gap show in that it aired on a pay-per-view weekend and therefore wasn’t building to any particular event. ROH once phoned in these shows, whereas these days they fill the time nicely and they feel meaningful. Haydn Gleed will be by on Tuesday or Wednesday with his audio review for the members.

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